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Steering Question

J

jman

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Atlanta
So im just a kid and ive been looking around at XJs for my first car and my dad and I test drove one today. It had a 6.5 inch lift and 33" tires. It was hard to steer and was kinda all over the road when going straight. Im assuming it wasnt all because of the lift and tires. Can anyone give me more information as to why it did this? Thanks
-jordan
 
There could be a lot of factors. Suspension could be warn and need new bushings, steering box could be going or even seperated from the frame rail, ball joints could be bad. These are just some possibilities. When mine was "kinda all over the road" it was that I did not have enough caster. If it sort of "follows" the imperfections in the road and resteers when hits a bump, rut or dip (called bump steer), it most likely would benefit you the most to make sure the trac bar is solid and your caster is set correctly. How old is the jeep? How long has the lift and tires been on it?
 
never buy an already lifted vehicle unless you know the previous history.

caster is probably all screwed up. he probably used the wrong components for that lift height.

buy a stocker and build it yourself. you can build it exactly the way you want, and know for a fact you didnt put any cheap parts on it. If you build it yourself you will also have some general knowledge of how it works and if you break something on the trail you might have an idea on how to fix it.
 
ktm racer 419 said:
never buy an already lifted vehicle unless you know the previous history.

caster is probably all screwed up. he probably used the wrong components for that lift height.

buy a stocker and build it yourself. you can build it exactly the way you want, and know for a fact you didnt put any cheap parts on it. If you build it yourself you will also have some general knowledge of how it works and if you break something on the trail you might have an idea on how to fix it.
Click to expand...

Couldn't have said it better myself.

Build your own.
 
some pictures of the front could help us advise a little better...

instead of giving you the..."you should build it yourself" BS reply.
 
yeah i didnt get any pics of it, sorry, but thanks for the replies. ill look more for some clean stock XJs
 
ktm racer 419 said:
never buy an already lifted vehicle unless you know the previous history.
Click to expand...

Internet advice.............worth every penny. :rolleyes:

Sure, you should be carefull buying a vehicle that has been modified. However, a modified vehicle is never worth what it cost to modify, so many times is a good value for the buyer. People buy and sell lifted trucks all the time, don't know why you shouldn't buy an XJ lifted.

I wouldn't want one with a hodge podge make shift lift, but there's no reason to be afraid of one with a name brand lift kit on it.
 
First car? I would no way recomend a lifted anything till you get some miles under your belt. You could buy it as a toy second car for you and your dad to play with but you need somthing that handles and stops well. Take the bus to Denver and I'll send you home in a sweet 1992 Buick Roadmaster that needs a tail light and rear window from a rear end collision for 500 bucks that way maybe you can still get the toy and have a safe daily driver. I'm serious about the Buick.
 
Goatman said:
Internet advice.............worth every penny. :rolleyes:

Sure, you should be carefull buying a vehicle that has been modified. However, a modified vehicle is never worth what it cost to modify, so many times is a good value for the buyer. People buy and sell lifted trucks all the time, don't know why you shouldn't buy an XJ lifted.

I wouldn't want one with a hodge podge make shift lift, but there's no reason to be afraid of one with a name brand lift kit on it.
Click to expand...

I'm with Goatman on this. Buying an already lfited vehicle can save you money in the long run. While there is a certain pride to be had in doing your own research and installing your own lift at the same time it can cost a bundle. So if you feel a vehicle has been well maintained and was built with quality components then I certainly would give it a long hard look.

The steering problems you are seeing are pretty common as most don't want to invest the time, energy and money to rectify the problem. If the vehicle is going to see significant road miles, then its worth looking for the cure to the ailment.
 
Id call it a double edge sword!If you know your jeeps, then buying or building one shouldnt be an issue at all!If you dont have a clue than even buying the best parts and trying to figure a lift out might be an issue for the guy!
 
[FONT=&quot]i think will all the info im leaning more towards building it up myself. i do enjoy the pride of putting your own work and cash into it. ill keep my eyes open though [/FONT]
 
Buy it already built. Call up some reputable shops and ask them to be on the lookout for XJs. Many local shops are good places to consider because they know who's who!
 
why not ask the dealer if you can take it to a mechanic to look at? find a reputable 4wd shop in your area and ask them to look at it. there are a lot of good shops out there with guys willing to help out a fellow enthusiest. or maybe even a fellow naxja member would be willing to help you out in your search..............
 
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